Failure
by windlily
Summary: Hitsugaya and Matsumoto take things into their own hands one more time.  My version of what transpired during and directly after chapter 238. [AUish]


Alright. I wrote this for Little Nothings, but it turned out longer than I was expecting, so I just decided to make it its own short story. Basically, I've been re-reading the manga, and when I got to the part where Yamamoto sends Zaraki and Byakuya to collect the Earth forces, I noticed that the Tenth Division's, Hitsugaya's especially, reactions to it all weren't shown. It focused on Renji and Rukia too heavily, leaving no room for them to have their say. So I wrote this.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hitsugaya or Bleach or anything else that I do not own.

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senkaimon:_ world penetration gate; the gate used to pass from Soul Society to the Living World and vice versa_

dangai:_ prohibiting world; the dimension between the Living World and Soul Society_

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**Failure**

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Hitsugaya kept his eyes trained on the ground as he felt the inevitably powerful reiatsu file out of the senkaimon. As soon as Yamamoto-soutaichou had spoken, he had known what was in store. Even before they had regained a connection with Seireitei, he had known. The arrancar were much farther in their preparation for this war than they were, and Yamamoto-soutaichou would not be able to stand for it. The man has had to make decisions that drastically affect both worlds on a daily basis since Aizen Sousuke's betrayal. This was merely another one of those decisions that he made in hopes of saving the most lives in this dire of situations.

No, Hitsugaya could not blame Yamamoto-soutaichou. The only one he could blame was himself. He had not foreseen Aizen's plans to take Inoue Orihime. He had not even been able to defeat the Espada that had come to distract him. His trip to Earth had just been yet another failure in the climbing number of similar mistakes he had been making since becoming a taichou of the Gotei 13.

He was silent as the others continued to protest about their new orders to return home. He was silent even as Kurosaki Ichigo was ordered not to interfere, not to save one of the few people in this world that he actually wished to protect. He was silent as he passed through the senkaimon first, head still facing downward as he took in Kuchiki Byakuya's unreadable stare. And he was silent as Matsumoto laid a hand on his shoulder, her full lips set into an empathetic frown and her eyes alight with rare understanding.

When the gate disappeared, and he could no longer feel Kurosaki's frustrated reiatsu, he could no longer resist the urge to turn around. Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Rukia had done the same as well, staring at the vacant space as if their whole world had just been torn apart before their eyes. And, in all honesty, it had.

Perhaps it was that thought that fueled his uncharacteristic impulsiveness. Or maybe it was when the hand on his shoulder squeezed ever so lightly. Whatever spurred him on, it hardly mattered at that point. Even as Kuchiki-taichou and Kenpachi-taichou watched, he went through the necessary motions and, with a burst of his own reiatsu, opened up a gate into the dangai. He was in no state of mind to search for a Hell Butterfly to make the trip any easier, but Abarai and Kuchiki seemed to understand. They whirled around to face him for just a moment, eyes wide in shock and thanks, before they ran through. The gate closed.

Madarame shrugged at some nonchalant comment of Ayasegawa's as Hitsugaya slowly turned back to face the two taichou who had come to collect him and his forces. Kenpachi's brow was raised in interest, but Kuchiki still wore his mask of calm, cold inexpression. The small taichou allowed himself a deep breath. "I'm afraid two of my men escaped back to the Living World while I wasn't paying attention. I apologize for yet another failure," he said slowly with a machine-like monotony to his tone. He bowed low, and he felt Matsumoto do the same behind him.

Kuchiki Byakuya stared at his lowered back for a moment longer before closing his eyes and turning around. "I see. Very well," was all he said before he began walking once more, leading the way back to the First Division compound. Kenpachi Zaraki laughed outright, calling his third and fifth seat to him to ask details about the arrancar as they followed the Sixth's taichou.

Hitsugaya slowly lifted his head, and the hand found his shoulder once more.

"Taichou."

"Yeah."

And, nothing more needing to be said, they took up the course as well. He was unsure of what he would find in store for him once they arrived, but, somehow, he felt better than he had for a very long time. He didn't know how long they'd last or how far they'd get, but he knew that they'd do _something_.

And maybe, just maybe, they wouldn't fail.


End file.
